Jake Thackray

Jake Thackray
Background information
Birth nameJohn Philip Thackray
Born(1938-02-27)27 February 1938
Kirkstall, Leeds, West Riding of Yorkshire, England
Died24 December 2002(2002-12-24) (aged 64)
Monmouth, Wales
Genres
Occupations
  • Singer-songwriter
  • musician
  • poet
  • humourist
  • journalist
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • guitar
Years active1967–1991
LabelsEMI

John Philip "Jake" Thackray (27 February 1938 – 24 December 2002) was an English singer-songwriter, poet, humourist and journalist. Best known in the late 1960s and early 1970s for his topical comedy songs performed on British television, his work ranged from satirical to bawdy to sentimental to pastoral, with a strong emphasis on storytelling, making him difficult to categorise.[1][2][3][4]

Thackray sang in a lugubrious baritone voice,[5] accompanying himself on a nylon-strung guitar in a style that was part classical, part jazz.[6] His witty lyrics and clipped delivery, combined with his strong Yorkshire accent and the northern setting of many of his songs, led to his being described as the "North Country Noël Coward", a comparison Thackray resisted, although he acknowledged his lyrics were in the English tradition of Coward and Flanders and Swann, "who are wordy, funny writers". However, his tunes derived from the French chansonnier tradition: he claimed Georges Brassens as his greatest inspiration[7] and he was also influenced by Jacques Brel and Charles Trenet.[8] He also admired Randy Newman.[7] He was admired by, and has influenced, many performers including Jarvis Cocker,[9] Alex Turner,[10] Benjamin Clementine,[11] Mike Harding,[12] Momus,[13] Ralph McTell,[14] Morrissey,[15] and Jasper Carrott.[16]

  1. ^ Hickey, Andrew. "'Jake in a Box': Jake Thackray reconsidered". The High Hat. Archived from the original on 17 September 2018. Retrieved 14 March 2009.
  2. ^ Newell, Martin (8 May 2005). "The legend of Jake". The Independent. Retrieved 4 April 2009.
  3. ^ Franks, Alan (19 August 2006). "Living out of the box". The Times. Archived from the original on 16 June 2011. Retrieved 4 April 2009.
  4. ^ Bosman, Lance (April 1979). "Jake Thackray: a modern minstrel". Guitar magazine. Retrieved 8 April 2009 – via jakethackray.com.
  5. ^ Clayson, Alan (28 December 2002). "Obituary: Jake Thackray". The Guardian. Retrieved 4 November 2008.
  6. ^ "Obituary: Jake Thackray". The Daily Telegraph. 29 December 2002. Archived from the original on 21 August 2009. Retrieved 14 March 2009.
  7. ^ a b Leigh, Spencer (28 December 2002). "Jake Thackray obituary". The Independent. Archived from the original on 11 December 2008. Retrieved 14 March 2009.
  8. ^ Newell, Martin (June 2006). "Jake, the Yorkshire Chansonnier". jakethackray.com. Archived from the original on 5 July 2008. Retrieved 8 April 2009.
  9. ^ Gill, A. A. (12 November 2006). "In a class of his own". The Sunday Times. Archived from the original on 1 March 2007. Retrieved 19 March 2009.
  10. ^ "Cornerstone by Arctic Monkeys Songfacts". Songfacts.com. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
  11. ^ Goodman, Jessica (15 September 2017). "Nine Songs: Benjamin Clementine - The 2015 Mercury Prize winner on the songs that inspire his art". The Line of Best Fit.
  12. ^ "My Yorkshire: Mike Harding". Yorkshire Post. 19 April 2008. Retrieved 19 March 2009.
  13. ^ Momus (27 December 2002). "Le Grand Jake: Jake Thackray Remembered". imomus.com. Retrieved 19 March 2009.
  14. ^ McTell, Ralph. "Jake Thackray (old love)". McTell.co.uk. Archived from the original on 15 August 2009. Retrieved 19 March 2009.
  15. ^ Bret, David (2004). Morrissey: Scandal & Passion. Franz Steiner Verlag. p. 73. ISBN 978-1-86105-968-0.
  16. ^ Jasper Carrott, "Beat The Carrott" on YouTube, accessed 7 September 2011.